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Thu, 20. Jul 2006
TurkishDailyNews-Twenty four women who call themselves peace mothers were
found guilty of voicing separatist propaganda by the Diyarbakýr 4th Criminal
Court on Tuesday and each was sentenced to serve 10 months in prison.
The women, aged between 40 and 75, had chained themselves to each other to
block traffic in Diyarbakýr and had called for a general amnesty and an end
to isolation in prisons. They were arrested on Feb. 22 this year and freed
after spending two months in jail.
None of the accused were present at the court on Tuesday. The women's lawyer
Meral Beþtaþ said the common characteristic of all her clients was the fact
that they were all mothers. The demonstration and the slogans were aimed at
peace. It was an innocent act and should be protected under the freedom of
expression. If not, the court will be punishing a call for peace.
The prosecutor called for the women to be found guilty of propagating
slogans of a separatist group.
The court noted that the accused had blocked the traffic and carried a
banner that said: Mr. Öcalan is our political will. Abdullah Öcalan is the
jailed leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
The court said the women were guilty of spreading separatist propaganda, and
sentenced them to one year imprisonment each. The court said it took
mitigating factors into account to lesson the sentence to 10 months'
imprisonment.
If the Supreme Court of Appeals approves the sentences, the women will
return to jail.